Oak Harbor had its share of qualifiers at last year's state swimming and diving meet, but Coach Andrea Sorg isn't quite ready to pencil in any of her athletes for a return trip to Canton this season.

“Our (girls) relays are strong,” Sorg said. “We're a solid team, but we don't have any outstanding athletes who are going to be automatic state qualifiers. We have a lot of strong girls who could be in the mix at districts and, hopefully, get a chance at districts in their events.

“This is a rebuilding year for the boys. We're a pretty young team. We've had a few come on in the freestyle events. Michael Cervantes has really come on in his breaststroke and IM events, and Tyler Schmidt has also turned in some good times in the breaststroke and the IM.”

The Rockets hosted the Oak Harbor Invitational last weekend and their girls and boys teams both placed fourth in the 12-team field.

On the girls' squad, 2009 state qualifier Danielle Franck is having a solid senior season, according to Sorg. Franck swims the breaststroke and on relays.

“Danielle is probably our best shot to get to state,” Sorg said.

Oak Harbor's other top swimmers include seniors Marlee Carpenter, Bethany McNutt and Lindsay Cochran, sophomore Allie Dombrowsky and freshman Kaylie Hallett-Zymanski.

Carpenter helped the Rockets' 200 free and 400 free relays qualify for state last season and she is back on those relays this year. She also competes in the butterfly and 50 free.

“She's having a good season,” Sorg said. “She has a rare heart condition, and last year she would get out of the pool and literally fall over. When her body was vertical, the blood would drain and she would nearly pass out. She's been able to control that this year. She's physically stronger and mentally stronger.”

McNutt, who specializes in the backstroke, was a state alternate in relays two years ago.

“She's been in that atmosphere and she's having a good year,” Sorg said. “She's decided to swim in college and she's taken her training more serious than she has in the past. Her times have been dropping to reflect the hard work she's putting in.”

Cochran swims the 200 free and 500 free relays.

“All of a sudden,” Sorg said, “we put her in some distance freestyle events and she's found a new place for herself on the team.”

Dombrowsky swims the 50 free, the 100 free and in relays, while Hallett-Zymanski competes in the relays, the butterfly and IM.

“Allie was a state alternate last year and she started up right where she left off and continues to improve her times,” Sorg said. “As for Kaylie, when freshmen come out they don't really know what to expect because they've never trained and prepared like you do in high school. She was out for a couple weeks with asthma and her times are starting to drop down in her events.”

The Rockets' boys team is led by Cervantes and Schmidt and fellow junior Ayron Wiegand, along with sophomores Ian Rhoades and Eli Boldt.

Rhoades is a distance freestyler and Boldt competes in the butterfly and IM.

“Ayron is our fastest sprint freestyler and he's made some progress this year as well,” Sorg said. “Ian is at the point where he's almost faster than he was at the end of last season. He's made progress. Eli is doing better than he was last year at this time. We're just looking for the small victories, the improvements in times.”

Oak Harbor has four divers on the boys' squad, “which is pretty unusual,” Sorg said.

“They obviously help for the team scores.”

The divers are freshman Bryce Buderer, sophomore Devon Griffin and juniors Evan Puckett and Josh Graber.

“Devon typically scores the highest,” Sorg said. “The diving in our sectional and district is not real strong this year, so we look forward to all of them qualifying at districts and getting them to score once they get there. They're all first-year divers except for Bryce.”

Oak Harbor will compete at the Sandusky Bay Conference Championships on Saturday at Sandusky Perkins.

“On the girls' side, I'm hoping for a strong third-place finish,” Sorg said. “The boys, I'm really not sure. I'm thinking maybe second or third place. That's where those four divers really helps us.”

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